Bateman is out to prove point in last World CupBateman is aiming to prove point to selectors
TORQUAY'S Marcus Bateman said he is out to prove the Olympic selectors wrong when he heads to Munich for the Samsung FISA World Cup III this weekend.
Bateman was last week omitted from the GB rowing team for London 2012, as he was overlooked in both the double and quadruple scull.
But the door to Olympic selection has been left ajar as only seven rowers were named in the men's eight boat – with Bateman in contention for the final spot.
With Londoner Constantine Louloudis – known in the GB camp as Stan – still suffering from a back injury, Bateman has been included as the eighth rower in the boat competing in Munich starting tomorrow.
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Bateman helped the men's eight to silver in the last world cup in Lucerne, but said even victory against world champions Germany would not automatically win him a spot in the Olympic squad.
"To be honest I think they're still giving Stan more time with his back before they shut the door on him, and I'm the next in line," said Bateman.
"I don't think it would harm my cause if we won gold, but I don't think it would make the selectors change things drastically. I think I would still be in the same position.
"I think that's the way I've got to take it – I've got to enjoy my rowing again and whatever boat I'm in, I've got to make it move – as we did in Lucerne."
Bateman said in his officially-released interview that he felt like the selection was 'like a game of musical chairs' as he was 'left standing when the music stopped'.
The former Torbay AC athlete suffered a stomach bug during official Olympic trials, and lost his long-term spot in the double scull to Kingswear's Bill Lucas and Sam Townsend (Reading). Wells, who previously made up the double with Bateman, was last week named in the men's quad sculls' four.
But in his latest interview with the Herald Express, Bateman said he believed Olympic selectors had made a mistake by not selecting him for the double scull, as he would have brought home a medal.
And Bateman also said he still has the belief that he can help the men's eight overcome Germany – both this weekend and in the Olympics.
"I always go out and race 100 per cent, and it will be the same this weekend," he added. "Within a week I jumped into the eight and we weren't a million miles away from the Germans. We've got a lot of hard work to do, but I think we could beat them, and I've got a lot of belief in myself that I could be the man to help us beat the Germans.
"I think I was unlucky with my illness during the trials and it put me on the back foot.
"If I had done final trials in the single I wouldn't be in this position – it was the only thing that was holding me back, and it was totally out of my control.
"I haven't changed as an athlete – I can still win medals as I have been doing recently.
"But it's up to me to make the Olympic selectors think that they've made a mistake and maybe they should have selected me for the sculling team.
"If Matt [Wells] and I were going to the Olympics I think we would have a shout for a medal.
"That's been the most difficult thing to take."
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